Loop forming device



March 27, 1934. E. B. 'KERST LOOP FORMING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934. B, KERST LOOP FORMING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 w Kara:

453 1656 flaom s, M2

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 LOOP FORMING DEVICE Edgar B; Kerst, Philadelphia, Pa, assignor to Proctor & Schwartz, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 26, 1932, Serial No. 624,804

8 Claims.

This invention relates to web-handling devices, and particularly to mechanism for forming a strip of cloth, paper, etc. into a series of loops or festoons over relatively spaced girts of a supporting conveyer arranged to transport the web through a drying or. other processing apparatus.

Prior to this invention the formation of uniformly sized loops has been a problem to builders 1 and users of loop driers, as it necessitated the provision of a relatively large amount of waste space in the bottom of the drier between the bottoms of the average sized festoons and the floor of the drier, to allow for variations in the lengths of the loops without permitting the web to drag on the floor of the drier.

Variations in the lengths of the loops are due to a number of conditions; for example, it is common practice to provide a weighted piece of canvas, or its equivalent, in the path of the conveyer girts upon which the web material is formed into loops, the canvas being so arranged that as the continuously, or intermittently, moving girts pass beneath it the weighted canvas wipes across the girts successively thereby stopping the formation of a loop being producedbetween the girt so engaged and the preceding girt and starting a new loop between the engaged girt and the next succeeding girt. The movement of the conveyer is necessarily slow, consequently the action of the canvas for forming the loops in the manner noted is so'slow of action and so uncertain in operation that festoons of various lengths are produced.

Other conditions productive of variations in the length of the loops and irregularities in the formation of the festoons reside in the warping or bending of the girts, or irregular spacing of the girts on the conveyor. A bent girt will cause the web to be engaged at one side of the conveyer in advance of the engagement therewith of the loop former atthe opposite side of the conveyer, thereby forming an irregular festoon. Unequal spacing of the girts, in a like manner, will cause one loop to be relatively short while the next will be extremely long.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a loop-forming device which will be positive in operation and quick of action; and wherein the loop former will engage the web simultaneously across the entire width of the conveyer; and wherein the element employed to clamp the web against the girts will remain'in full contact with one loop of the Web and travel with the moving conveyer during the full and complete formation of the next succeeding loop, preventing the loop that is being formed from robbing the previously formed loop, and vice versa; and wherein, after the new loop is completely formed, the holding mechanism is quickly disengaged from the previously formed loop and immediately applied to the web for starting the formation of a new loop; and wherein by continuously repeating the cycle all loops supported by the conveyer will be of the same length.

The present invention permits the clearance between the bottoms of the loops and the floor of the drier to be reduced to a minimum, which effects an initial saving in the construction of a drying apparatus equipped with the mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention, further effecting a subsequent saving in operating expenses as a result of the reduction and elimination of waste air space inthe interior of the drier, within which the air must be kept in circulation continuously and conditioned continuously to maintain the greatest possible efii ciency in the drying compartment.

In the accompanying drawings: I Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through sufiicient of a drying or conditioning apparatus to illustrate the present invention as applied thereto, showing the position of the loop former at the start of a new loop;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the position of the loop former at thecompletion of thenew loop; Y

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the loop former released .from the previously formed loop and ready to engage the newly formed loop in order that a subsequentloop may be started; Fig. 4 is a plan view of, the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a modification of the invention. 7 As illustrated-in Figs. 1 and 4, the supporting conveyer for'theweb w comprises a pair of side chain 1, 1, which are adapted to travel continuously, or intermittently, on supporting rails 2, 2 carried by a framework 3 of a suitable drier or other processing apparatus, the enclosing casing of which is diagrammatically illustrated at 5.

Extending between and supported at their opposite ends by the chains 1, 1, respectively, is a series of web supports 6, 6, in the form of girts which may be rigidly attached to the chains 1, 1, or supported thereby for rotation with respect thereto as desired.

Abovea horizontal plane traversed by the girts 6, 6, in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 1, is a transversely extending tubular shaft 7 that is provided at its opposite ends with trunnions 8, 8 which preferably are rigidly secured in clamp bearings 9, Q-supported by brackets 10, 10, respectively, secured to the rigid frame 3 of the apparatus. The trunnions 8, 8 of the tubular shaft 7 are mounted in the opposite ends of the said shaft to permit free rotation of the shaft with respect to the trunnions, by means of ball bearings 11, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Secured to the shaft '7, at relatively spaced intervals intermediate the opposite ends thereof, is a series of arms 12, 12, each of whichcomprises a hub 13 that is rigidly clamped or otherwise secured to the shaft 7. The outer end of each arm 12 is provided with a triangular opening 14, the base 15 of Which'extends in a plane substantially parallel to the horizontal-plane of movement of the girts 6, 6 while the apex 16 of the slot or opening 14'norma-lly extends downwwardly between -a pair of I adjacently disposed -girts' 6, -6, as-the said girts travel in'the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 1.

Extending through the openings- 14, 14 of the *series of arms 12, 12,-substantially parallel to gentially impinge uponand rest between the con- :vergentsides of :an adjacently disposed pair of the girts 6, 6, to-press the web 10 into gripping contact with-the said convergent sidesof the said pair of girts, in order tohold the web in thelastformed loop :r so that the web w maybe .fed, inthepresent instance by a' drum or roller :19, .over the top of the trailing girt ofthe -said adjacent, pair thereof and between the said trailingegirt andthe next oncoming girt in the form .of 1 a :new-loop-or 'festoon m as illustrated in Fig. 2.

During the feeding of the web'in the'production of the new loop m the loop holders' 18'remain in contact with the previously formed loop a as the conveyer advances in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. ".1, the'shaft '17,'on which the web holders :18 are mounted, moving along the bases 15 of the triangular slots 14 in the arms 12 from theiposition shown in Fig. 1 'to thatshownin Fig. 2.

The shaft -'7, upon which the'arms12 aresecured, is provided with a gear, or gear segment, 20, which is rigidly securedtothe shaft "land meshes with-a? gear segment 21 that is pivotally mountedonaistud 22 secured-in a bearing '23 carried by the fixed'bra'cket 10.

The gear segment 2l-is provided with-an-arm 24 at the outer end of which is rotatably-mounted a roller 25, which, a's shown in FigSLis normally disposed between a pair of adjacently disposed girts 6,"6,:as the conveyer travels in the direction of the Sarrowa, to be subsequently engaged by one of the -=said='girts, in 'the manner illustrated-in Fig. 2, whereupon'further movement of the girts in Ithe-direction'of the arrow (1 will cause the roller 25 'toride upone side of the'oncoming-girt .6, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby the gear segment 21 will be rocked aboutits pivot 22 andfbyvirtue of the engagement- 0f the teeth ofthe segment 21 with the teeth of theJ-gear' 20 on the shaft 7, the said shaft will'be'rocked in a corresponding manner, thereby swinging the arms 12, 12 upwardly about the axes of the trunnions 8 of the shaft '7.

Upward'swinging movement .of .the'arms 12,

12 to the extreme position shown in Fig. 3 lifts the shaft 17 and the web holders 18 carried thereby out of contact with the previously formed loop at, and holds the said web grippers 18 in an elevated position while the conveyer advances in the direction of the arrow (1 a relatively slight distance sufficient to move the apex of the girt underlying the rollers 18 to a position beyond the vertical plane intersecting the axis of the raised shaft 17 and rollers 18.

As the girt engaged by the roller 25 advances, the declining side of the said girt comes into a position substantially coincident with the arc swept by theperiphery of the roller 25, due

to-the relation of the pivot of the arm 24 with respect; to the line of movement and peripheral curvature of the girts, whereupon the roller 25 will'be released quickly from the girt permitting the shaft? and the arms 12 carried thereby to drop suddenly, thereby dropping the web holders 18 into contact with thenewly formed loop m the web holders-18 moving'fro'm the position shown in Fig. '3 to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The purpose ofthe triangular opening 14 in each of the arms 12 is two-fold, in that it permits the relatively spaced web holders 18'to'acco'mmodate themselves to the surfaces of the'pair of guts with which the said holders contact despite any variation or curvature in the length of either orboth of'the girts, the-shaft 1'7'being of 'a'relatively flexible nature and thereby permitting the more or less heavyweb'holders 1.8 to adjust themselves in contacting with the 1 girts.

The more important'feature of the" triangular slots or openings '14, howeveryis to permit the web holders 18 to remain in cor'itact with the girt over which the'trailing side of thepreviousl'y formed loop passes while'the roller 25 is climbing the advancing side of the girt with which it has contacted, actual release of the holders '18 from the web not being effected until the roller 25 approaches the highest point'of 'contacton the' girt'fi passing therebeneath. As the roller'25 attains the highest point of contact with the engaged girt the arms 12 are raised to the extreme position illustrated inFig. 3, whereupon the shaft 1'? will move into the angle provided by the angle end 26 of the slot 14 provided'by'the converging base'15 and side'2'7 of the triangular slot14.

As the roller 25 is released fromthe girt with which it=has been in 'contact'and thearms 12 area'ccordinglydropped to the'position shown in Fig. 1. wherein the base of the 'slot 14 is parallel to the line of movement of the girts, the shaft 17 is free to move into'any position within the area defined by thebases 1'5 and sides-27' and 28 of the 'angular'slots '14 permitting the web holders 18 to assume their tangential contacting relation with respect tothe pair of girts 6, 6 over andbetween which: the newly for'medfestoona: is hung.

If desired,'theweb holders 18'may be loosely mounted on the shaft 17 as illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein each of the web holders, or at-least those intermediate theweb holders at theextreme ends of 'the shaft I'L'ma'y'be'in the form of annular elements having ab'ore 29 of relatively greater diameter than that of the shaft 17, to permit lateral aswell as-rotative'movement of the web holder with respect to the shaft 17 -while longitudinal movement of the web holder with respect to 'the'shaft 17 -may be limited or eliminatedby means of collars 30 secured to the shaft 17 at opposite sides respectively of each of the Web holders 18a. thus the shaft 17 is permitted to assume any necessary position withinthe slots 14 of thearms 12 and the intermediate web holders are permitted to assume any necessary position with respect to the shaft 17 without the necessity of the shaft 17 flexing should irregularities occur in any of the girts 6.

I claim:

1. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, means for shifting the web holder from said holding position with respect to the one festoon into a corresponding position relative to the new festoon and the girts supporting the same upon completion of the new festoon by said feeding means, and means allowing free movement between the web holder and the shifting means during said shifting movement of the web holder.

2. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a plurality of pivoted arms loosely connected to said web holder, and means for rocking said arms to shift the web holder from said holding position with respect to the one said festoon to a corresponding holding position relative to the new festoon and the girts supporting the same upon completion of the new festoon by said feeding means.

3. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising rela-- tively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a shaft for lifting said web holder, a plurality of pivoted arms loosely connected to said web holder shaft, and means for rocking said arms to lift and shift the web holder from said holding position with respect to the one said festoon and to lower the web holder into a corresponding holding position relative to the new festoon and the girts supporting the same upon completion of the new festoon by said feeding mean-s. 4

i. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a shaft passing through said web holder substantiallyparallel to said girts, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on a common axis substantially parallel to said girts, each arm having an opening of greater area than the shaft and in which said shaft is freely confined, and means for rocking said arms about said axis to lift said shaft and the web holder out of its holding position between said a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a shaft passing through said web holder substantially parallel to said girts, a. plurality of arms pivotally mounted on a common axis substantially parallel to said girts, each arm having a substantially triangular opening in which said shaft is freely confined, and means for rocking said arms about said axis to lift said shaft and the web holder out of its holding position between said trailing girt and the preceding girt of said pair and to lower said web holder into a corresponding position intermediate the said trailing girt and the said succeeding girt.

6. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a shaft passing through said web holder substantially parallel to said girts, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on a common axis substantially parallel to said girts, each arm having a substantially triangular opening with one side of the triangle substantially parallel to the line of movement of the girts and the apex normally extending between a pair of said girts and in which said shaft is freely confined, and means for rocking said arms about said axis to lift said shaft and the web holder out of its holding position between said trailing girt and the preceding girt of said pair and to lower said web holder into a corresponding position intermediate the said trailing girt and the said succeeding girt.

7. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a shaft passing through said web holder substantially parallel to said girts, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on a common axis substantially parallel to said girts, each arm having a substantially triangular opening with one side of the triangle substantially parallel to the line of movement of the girts and the apex normally extending between a pair of said girts and in which said shaft is freely confined, and means disposed in the path of said girts to be engaged by a girt for rocking said arms about said axis to lift said shaft and the web holder out of its holding position between said trailing girt and the preceding girt of said pair and to lower said web holder into a corresponding position intermediate the said trailing girt and the said succeeding girt.

8. The combination of a conveyer movable in a predetermined direction and comprising relatively spaced girts supporting a web in festoons, a Web holder impinging upon the web on adjacent faces of a pair of said girts to hold one of said festoons in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding the web between the trailing girt of said pair and the succeeding girt to form a new festoon therebetween, a shaft passing through said web holder substantially parallel to said girts, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on a common axis substantially parallel to said girts, each arm having an opening of greater area than the shaft and in which said shaftis EDGAR B. KERST.

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